'Mystery' Ailments Hit Workers Symptoms Puzzle Officials At Martin

July 25, 1987|By Bob Levenson of The Sentinel Staff

More than 60 workers at a Martin Marietta assembly plant had to be taken to hospitals Friday after complaining of flu-like symptoms, but company officials and the Orange County Fire Department were at a loss to explain why.

''It's a mystery,'' said Fire Chief John Hunt. ''We didn't find anything. The place is as clean as a pin.''

Workers at the defense contractor's plant on Sand Lake Road and paramedics who treated them said no one complained of any strange odors. Firefighters found no trace of gas or chemical leaks.

The workers were treated at area hospitals and released by 4 p.m., about three hours after they first began complaining, said spokesmen for the five hospitals.

The affected employees work in an area where a targeting and navigation system for helicopters is assembled, said Martin Marietta spokesman Chip Manor. They work with three common industrial chemicals, none of which are believed to be responsible, said Manor and firefighters.

Assistant Fire Chief Charles Barrett said five workers complained shortly after 1 p.m. of trouble breathing, sore throats, watery eyes and dizziness. By the time firefighters arrived at about 1:15 p.m., another six or seven employees were complaining, Barrett said.

Martin Marietta officials evacuated all 700 people who work in the building, Manor said. About 150 people work in the same section as the affected employees.

Twelve people were taken to Sand Lake Hospital by ambulance, Barrett said. The remaining 49 people, some of whom said they were dizzy, were taken by vans and buses to Orlando Regional Medical Center, Orlando General Hospital, Florida Hospital in Orlando and Humana Hospital Lucerne.

Two workers, who were taken by ambulance to Sand Lake, said they had no idea what caused the problem. They feared losing their jobs if their names were published.

''A few of the girls were complaining about headaches before lunch,'' said one woman. ''After we came back, a bunch of people started feeling sick. Everybody was a little different. They Martin officials came right in and got us out of there.''

Officials of the state Department of Environmental Regulation and the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration said they were notified but will not investigate further.

Firefighters, wearing oxygen tanks and gas masks, walked through the plant for about 20 minutes. When their meters turned up no trace of gas, the firefighters took off the equipment and spent another 45 minutes searching the plant, Barrett said. They reported no health problems.

About 2:45 p.m., firefighters left and said they believed the area was safe for workers again. Manor said late Friday afternoon that no decision had been made on when employees would resume working in the area.

Neither he nor Barrett would speculate on the cause of the problem.

''It's odd, but there's nothing more we can do,'' Barrett said. ''We tried to find something, but there was nothing there.''